Receiver R 109 T – tropicalised.

Receiver R 109, type  T.

Receiver R 109 T. This British receiver was used in conjunction with the Wireless Set no 76 transmitter. This transmitter no 76 was crystal controlled and only suitable for CW. The T stands for tropicalised, which means they are suitable for operating in the tropic theature.

At the battle of Arnhem, both, the R109 and the Wireless transmitter 76, were used for the REAR LINK  radio nets with the headquarters in England and the 30st Corps at Groesbeek . Antennas were longwires. The communications worked in the beginning often very well. Later not,  because most of may reasons:

1) the crystals got defected and had to be replaced.

2) Also many were destroyed, together with the transmitter by heavy enemy fire. Replacement of the crystals , which were dropped,  mostly  became behind enemy lines. The functioning of these radio’s, because of sky wave contact, are described in the post of  the Wireless Set no 22.

3) many special trained wireless operators were killed, because of the heavy German resistance.

Note, that the combination of Wireless transmitter no 76/receiver R109 was also in use by The Public Relation Group in a different radio net, only CW mode. This by the Royal Corps of Signals, the Phantom group. They reported the progress of the battle to the BBC in London.

At the last days,  because this radionet was still functioning well and other Rear Links with WS 76 and R109 not well anymore, most radio’s were destroyed,  they decided to use the net with their radio’s from this Public Relations group, by lack of other transmitter no 76,  for communication with the headquarters.

PicRadioJeep

British_airborne_troops_man_a_trench_with_a_No._76_wireless_set_at_Heldon_in_Holland,_3_February_1945._B14347

The two  pictures above:

At the first picture, is to be seen the wireless operator at the left,  with his headphones still on his head, giving fire support to the airborne soldier right. This in the southern part of the perimeter around  Hotel Hartenstein.

At the second picture, the transmitter Wireless transmitter 76  at the right with the receiver R109 at the left,  also in the garden of the perimeter around Hotel hartenstein, Oosterbeek. Probably this radio set was in use at that moment, by The Public Relation radio net.

The pictures below, shows my  receiver, it is in excellent, original condition.

But tropicalised versions, mostly are in well estate.

 Inside mid R109 T

Left the whole receiver part. In the mid the service chassis with spare valves and at the right the vibrator power supply working on 6 volts DC.

left inside inner R109T

Receiver part with spare vibrator for the power supply.

underside chassis R109T

Beneath the chassis. In the mid the service chassis.

Case R109 inside

Inside the case, with the schematic diagram for service.

Finally some time ago, at last the missing grill for the front came. A nice view now, the receiver is now complete at last.

See picture below.

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Posted in British-wireless-sets-and-receivers.

9 Comments

  1. Hello Andrew,
    No, I can’t help you with it. You have to kook after at another more completed case, because seperate, they are very rare.
    Peter

  2. Hello Jan,

    In some way, I know your name somehow. But where I do not know. Maybe in the past on internet?
    I looked at internet. I think I finally found your website of your museum.

    Also a nice collection there. And of course beautiful historical buildings. Very nice!

    But I do not have that speaker for you. The R109 is a bit rare here in The Netherlands. Especially when it is complete and original. Finally after many years I found the missing grill to the front of it. (the R109 AT) I had to buy another one without the case for it.

    But that R109 was complete and original, so it is a pity to remove the speaker for you.
    I’m now looking for another case, so a new problem 🙂

    I hope, you will find your speaker for the R109!

    Regards Peter

  3. Good morning, 28 June 2015
    I enjoyed looking at the pictures of your R109T set. The identical set I have was purchased in 1960 from an army surplus shop and I used it on a 6V lorry battery. It has not been used for 45 years and I want to try it out again, hope it has not deteriorated to far to be resurected. I have the manual somewhere for it somewhere !?

    I have mislaid the 6V power input plug which I must find. My set did not come with spare valves or a spare vibrator.
    I have a power supply which gives 5.7V DC with negligible ripple at 30A, can you let me know what the maximum current the R109T requires please ? Alternatively I could build an HT and LT power supply and bypass the original vibrator/transformer or just inject AC after the vibrator but this would need to be at a higher frequency than 50Hz as I would think the transformer is designed for maybe 400Hz ?
    I don’t really want to modify the set, it should be kept original but I don’t want the bother of a battery.
    Any coments would be appreciated.

    Regards

    Charlie.

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